Sarah, The Goblin King, and the Regina Bestiarum
by Clarus Magnus
Summary: Sarah and Toby are swept back to the Underground by a plot by Jareth's adoptive mother, the Queen of Beasts. Jareth wants to win back Sarah's heart, but she's not won over that easily.
1. Prologue: Making of a Goblin King

This is a simple set up for the plot. It's supposed to be vague and kind of Bible-like in its narration. There be better stuff ahead!

I also welcome reviews. Please comment on things that are too vague, or just don't feel right. I need feedback to live!

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Labyrinth or any genius creation of Jim Henson. I do, however, wish that I had his kind of imagination!

Prologue

Long ago, in a realm separate from ours, a young prince lived in luxury. Jareth had been a selfish youth, an entitled young man that knew nothing of suffering. He had been adopted by the Queen of Beasts and was made a prince. When he'd denied an old beggar entrance to a masquerade, he'd made his last mistake. The beggar woman transformed and was revealed to be his adoptive mother, Armina. Out of anger for his selfishness, she cursed him and told him thus:

'Cursed are you among my subjects for your selfish ways! For your transgression this night and others, you shall become the loathed Goblin King. You are cursed to rule over the Goblin City and its residents. They are your people now, and you shall rule over them. You will rule the lowest of creatures in my realm, and they shall bow to your power. Your form will reflect your vain nature, and you will be outcast by all but your subjects. You will remain their king until such a time as you experience true love. No one could love a creature like the Goblin King! But, if such a thing happens, you will have surely have become humbled by your post enough to appreciate what you have. Only then will the curse break and you will take your true form. So it has been spoken by Armina, Great Queen of Beasts, so it shall be written!'

His handsome face that once held an arrogant grin changed to a grimace of intense pain as he was transformed. His teeth lengthened and changed to rounded points. His eyes became mismatched and his cropped hair grew long and unruly. His nails became like claws. No one could ever love a beast such as him.

Jareth was immediately sent to the Goblin City, where its residents surely did bow to his power. He remained selfish until he met the person who would become his true love.


	2. The Agreement

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Labyrinth or any genius creation of Jim Henson. I do, however, wish that I had his kind of imagination!

~Jareth~

Jareth sulked in his dimly lit chambers. His hair had lost its sheen. His signature crooked smile hadn't graced his lips since she'd gone. His mismatched eyes had lost their sparkle.

The pathetic little goblins had been working to get rid of the boulders brought in by the beast called Ludo. He'd have to commend the beast on his sacking of the city, but not now. He couldn't function like this. Not with her possessing part of his heart.

A ragged sob escaped his chest. Foreign tears trickled from the corners of his eyes. He conjured a crystal, but it turned to dust within seconds of its conjuring. He threw the dust and collapsed onto his massive four-poster bed.

Jareth had to get her back, no matter the cost. Their fates were inevitably tied together. He knew that. If only he hadn't been so stupid! If only he hadn't let her leave! Fresh tears ran down his cheeks.

He sat up and unbuttoned his leather vest. He looked at himself in the oversized mirror across the room and sighed. He was a shadow of his former self. He was powerful, alluring, and mysterious back then, back before she'd claimed his heart.

Two short raps sounded from the oak doors leading into the hallway. He wiped the tears from his face with the back of his hand.

"No visitors, you loathsome creatures!" He worked hard to keep his voice from cracking. He cleared his throat. Jareth strode across the room and threw open the doors. "All of you leave! Now! Leave my castle at once! Go!" he bellowed.

Frightened goblins scrambled away from his anger. They escaped through the stone doors of his castle into the streets of the Goblin City.

Jareth walked through the open doors of his throne room and sat in his throne. He draped one leg over the arm of his throne and tried to conjure a stable crystal.

"Finally alone, my son?" asked a familiar female voice. Jareth jumped, but did not look up.

"Mother, I didn't think I would see you until my curse was broken," Jareth mumbled to the floor.

"You don't think I would visit you, my son?" she asked.

Jareth looked up to see his adoptive mother, Armina. Her kind, liquid bronze eyes looked at him with a mother's concern. Her long, dark blond hair was infused with bronze, making it almost metallic. She wore a bright white blouse with a silver vest similar to his brown leather one. A long, white cape was draped over her shoulders. She didn't look like a mother at all. Physically, she didn't look any older than twenty in human years, but she was over two-thousand years his senior, and he didn't contest her claim as his mother. She had found him abandoned by his fae mother and made him her son, a prince of the Underground. He loved his mother, but she could be a pain at times. A slightly amused smile graced her strong features as she awaited his answer.

"I didn't think you wanted to see me," he finally said.

"Why?" she asked, her face changing from amusement to concern.

Jareth paused again, searching for the right words in his heartbroken, erratic thoughts.

"You think I don't love my son?" she said. The hurt in her voice was almost tangible.

"No!" he said loudly. He paused and gathered himself, then spoke more calmly. "No. I… I'm just so confused right now and I don't need any help from you, Mother. I love you, you know that. But I don't know what has happened to me."

"Do you want to know?" she asked.

"You know? If so, tell me this thing, so that I may forget about her!" As soon as he said it, he clamped his mouth shut and turned from her. Fresh tears streamed down his face.

"See? I knew it was that mortal, Sarah Williams. You can't let her go, can you?" Her face softened to reveal her glorious smile. Her pointed ivory teeth glinted in the midday sun that filtered through the windows of his throne room.

"No. When I had her here in my realm, I felt complete. I thought I might be in love, but she left. She's the only one to defeat my labyrinth. I had to let her go. No matter what happened, I knew I would let her go as she wished, because I would do anything for her." The words flowed from his heart, and he was unable to stop them. Tears continued to flow freely down his face. He continued, "When she left, I felt a gaping hole in my heart that wasn't there before. It's…it's like I've seen the light, but only to be plunged into darkness in her absence. How could I let her go?"

"Because you love her, that's how. Your souls were fated to meet. You are soul mates. Unfortunately, the Fates brought you together too soon. You both were unable to understand. You both were too immature to understand how either of you felt." She walked over and sat down next to his throne and sighed. "Look, ever since you've been here, you've been sheltered from such things. I didn't think Fate would bring her so soon." She reclined on her elbows and looked up at Jareth.

"Mother, is this all true?" He turned his gaze to her and saw a noticeable change in her bronze eyes. Her face was the perfect image of calm.

"I wouldn't lie to my son. In fact, I will grant you a boon. You must agree to the terms, or it's no deal." His mother loved making deals, it was her greatest tool for manipulation.

"Might I hear the terms first?" he asked with a slight smirk. At this, she stood and walked across the room. She turned and drew herself up to full height, commanding the empty room.

"Of course. On the eve of the girl's twenty-fifth birthday I shall return her to my realm. You must wait ten whole years. I will do this if, and only if, you improve this city. Surely she can't think much of you with such a dreadful city under your control. She certainly wasn't abhorred by your looks, my dear son. Makes sense, yes? I think so. It's that simple. She can't be happy in that mortal realm. She doesn't belong there." Her voice was full of the command her post gave her. She conjured a crystal similar to one of his and offered it to him. "This is my binding oath, if you should agree. This crystal is your proof of this agreement. Do you want it?"

He thought for a moment, in seeming disbelief. He could have her back, just like that? He reached out and took the crystal while simultaneously saying, "Yes."

"Get to it then," she said. She walked over and hugged her son. "I would suggest starting now, ten years isn't all that long, you know."

"I know."

She backed away from him and disappeared in a column of blue-black flame.


	3. Sarah's Life

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Labyrinth or any genius creation of Jim Henson. I do, however, wish that I had his kind of imagination!

~Sarah~

Sarah jerked awake from a fitful sleep. He'd invaded her dreams again. It had been almost a month of these dreams.

Jareth hadn't changed, as far as she could see. From her talks with Hoggle and the rest, she'd only figured out that he'd become a recluse and stayed in his chambers. They had also said that he had made some changes and improved the city, an attempt to reclaim her heart someday.

She got up and pulled on her slippers. She walked over to her mirror and ran her hands through her dark brown mane. She walked over to her bedside table and looked at the clock. 6 o'clock. Toby could sleep for another hour before he had to get up for school.

She opened up her bedroom door and walked into the kitchen of their apartment. She opened up the cupboards and rummaged for some coffee. Finding none, she strode into the small living room and turned on the TV. She flipped through the channels and found nothing but infomercials. She didn't dare go back to bed, because she knew Jareth would be there again in her dreams.

Around 7 o'clock she walked over to Toby's door and opened it. "Toby, it's time to get up."

"Five minutes?" he asked groggily as he rubbed his eyes.

"No. Just get up so you can eat before you leave for school, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Okay," he replied.

When she went to the kitchen, he rolled out of bed. He put his face in his hands and sighed. He had to go to school. He knew that. But he didn't have to like it.

Everything after that was a blur. He got up, ate a hasty breakfast of toast and was shoved out the door by his sister.

He hopped in her brand new SUV. She drove him to school and dropped him off a block away, not wanting to deal with traffic.

As Toby climbed out, he said, "Bye, love you. Oh, and Happy Birthday."

As she sat there, she realized that she had indeed forgotten her own birthday. She was 25 today, and she had no place to go. It didn't matter anyway. No guy ever asked her out. She didn't have too many friends in the city. It was just a normal day, and the fact that it was her birthday meant nothing.

Sarah watched Toby walk into school and pulled away.

She never wanted this for him. But all this responsibility was thrust on her when her dad and stepmother had been killed in a car accident a couple years before. Toby came to live with her in her apartment in the city. Her series of children's books were a hit, but she had also begun publishing for others, in addition to herself. Toby was a big part of her life, but the books often infringed on their time together.

When she arrived at the small office building that held her publishing service, she knew it was going to be a busy day of pitches. The room in front of the office was filled with hopeful authors, and she hated turning them down, but some of them just plain sucked.

"All right Sarah, here's another labyrinth to solve," she said to herself as she entered the office.

~Sarah~

Her day passed slowly as author after author passed through her office. No one had that spark, so they were all turned down. It was definitely a cookie dough ice cream night tonight. It again dawned on her that it was her birthday. _It's a double cookie dough ice cream night!_ she thought.

At 3:00 she left her office, glad that the day was now over.

"Um, Sarah?" said her secretary as she came out.

"Yes, Colette?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, I think we have one more. I accidentally booked to many pitches. She says it'll take 10 minutes."

"It's fine. Where is he?"

"It's a she. She didn't give me her name. Hey, ma'am, you're up!" shouted Colette.

"Very good," replied a smooth female voice from across the room. The woman was of average height, but she was built. Not fat, but, as Karen used to say, she was 'built like a brick silo.' Hair like gold with streaks of bronze framed her strong features. She stood and walked over to Sarah. "Here," she said and handed her a book, "I found this outside your building on Sunday, and I've brought it here for you. It's got your name in it, yes? You're Sarah Williams, right?" she asked.

The woman was completely different than anyone she'd seen in the city. She was powerfully built, but not in a body builder way. She emanated power, and commanded the room with her subtly powerful voice. No one in the city, as far as Sarah knew, had the same air about them.

"Uh, yeah. I don't recognize this book. Where did you find it?" Sarah asked, bewildered. There was no title on the outside, just rough leather.

"I found it out in front of your office, on the sidewalk. You must have dropped it. Unless there's another Sarah Williams in this office?" the woman replied.

"Well, no. I'm the only Sarah here."

"It must be yours then. It's got a note to you, I think. I didn't read it but for the name. When I flipped through it, I didn't see anything saying it was someone else's. I think it's a storybook anyway. Take it; I don't think anyone's missing it."

"Yeah, I guess. Thanks. What's your name anyway?"

"Amy. I must go now, but enjoy the book. It looks to be a good read, no? It's even got leather binding! Goodbye, Sarah Williams. Thanks for taking it; I had no use for it." Amy pushed open the door and walked down the sidewalk, hailing a cab and driving away before Sarah could ask any more questions.

"That was messed up!" said Colette from behind her desk.

"It was. I'll see you tomorrow, Colette. Have a good night." Sarah left and drove home. She dropped off the manuscripts she had to work on and the weird old book.

~Sarah~

At 3:45 Sarah went to pick Toby up from school. She found him waiting out front of the school all alone. His face was red from crying, and he looked like he could burst into tears any second.

As he climbed into the car, Toby refused to look at Sarah. He was upset, and he probably didn't want her help.

"Toby, what's wrong?" Sarah asked as she took his hand.

He wiped his tears away with the back of his sleeve. "Nothing. It's just some kids. I'm fine."

"No, Toby. You're not fine. What happened? I'm not moving the car until you tell me," Sarah said sternly.

"They took my sketchbook with all my pictures in it, and they ripped it all up. I had my favorite pictures in it." He broke into a fit of sobs and she squeezed his hand. What could she do? The pictures were gone, and she couldn't fix them.

"You know they're just jealous of your mad talent, right?" Sarah said as she pulled away from the curb. "Your pictures are pretty amazing."

"Thanks, but they're all gone now," Toby looked out the window and paused, "Sorry. It's your birthday, you shouldn't worry about me."

"Toby! I care more about you than a stupid birthday. Besides, I think we're just going to order pizza and eat ice cream anyway. Nothing special." A small smile made its way fleetingly across his face.

When they arrived home, Toby went to work on his homework and Sarah ordered their pizza. An air of normalcy hung over their apartment, if only for a while.

~Toby~

He scattered his homework all over his room. He'd do his English first and deal with the rest later. He rummaged through his backpack, not finding his reading book.

"Sarah, have you seen my book for English?" he shouted. Sarah said something unintelligible back, so he walked out of his room and looked around. "Where is it?"

"I said that it's on one of the tables out there," replied Sarah.

"Okay." Toby walked around and looked for his book. It was nowhere to be found. Then something odd caught his eye. An old, leather-bound book sat on one of the tables. The cover was well-worn and he couldn't read the title anymore. The pages were yellowed and the text was in an old script. He opened it and flipped through it. Intrigued, he took it back to his room, completely disregarding the search for his lost book.

He began reading about a king that took unhappy children to live with him in happiness. In his realm, all were equal, and he took care of them. The children need only call him, and they would be taken to live with him.

"I wish I could live in that kingdom, so I could be happy. I wish that King Jareth would just take me away right now."

A clap of thunder sounded and Toby was swept into darkness…

~Sarah~

"Ah, son of a bitch! Stupid lights. Toby? You okay? Toby?" she called. No answer came back.

She searched in the darkness to find the drawer with a flashlight in it. She opened a drawer and reached in. Without hesitation she turned on the flashlight to find everything in place.

"It must be a power outage. The damn power company needs to fix this fast."

She walked down the hall to Toby's room and found nothing. Toby was gone.


	4. The Regina Bestiarum or Queen of Beasts

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Labyrinth or any genius creation of Jim Henson. I do, however, wish that I had his kind of imagination!

~Sarah~

"Looking for something, love?" asked a familiar female voice.

"Wh-who are you?" asked Sarah, her pulse beginning to race with the cold chill of fear.

The figure snapped its fingers and the lights returned. It was the woman with the book. Unlike before, the woman appeared in strange clothing. She had a bronze-colored vest on over a white blouse. A gold-flecked, black fur cape was draped over her shoulders. Her feet were adorned with knee-high black riding boots and her golden-blond hair gracefully outlined her face. She sat regally in Toby's desk chair. Her liquid bronze eyes watched Sarah's shocked expression with amusement.

"I, my dear, am Armina, Great Queen of Beasts. And you are Sarah Williams, sister to Toby, heir apparent of the Goblin City." Her voice was different; it seemed magnified with even more power than before.

"Where's Toby? I didn't send him anywhere! Bring him back!" shouted Sarah. Her heart hammered in her chest and her breathing picked up noticeably. She hoped that her panic wouldn't give her away.

"He wished himself away. I can't argue with that. I can tell you he is safe," replied the queen nonchalantly, which really pissed Sarah off.

"Bring him back now!" she shouted.

"I cannot. He conjured Jareth himself and left of his own accord. But there is another option." She seemed unfazed by Sarah's anger.

"What kind of option?" Sarah demanded.

"I can take you with me to my realm that encompasses all realms of beasts, including Goblin City. You can see Toby all that you want, but he can't return here, ever. Neither of you have belonged here anyway." Armina said this as if it were a normal occurrence.

"What do you mean I don't belong here? I'm here aren't I?" Sarah was confused, and still angry that she refused to return Toby.

"Yes, but Fate dictates that you belong within my realm. What have you got to lose? You will live with me, in luxury. You can see your brother all that you want, though not right away. I promise you will be eternally happy as an immortal in my world. You can even see those friends of yours, Ludo and Hogbrain."

"It's Hoggle."

"Yes, okay, Hoggle." She conjured a crystal just like Jareth had done 12 years before. "You see this? This is a crystal; I believe you've seen them before, yes?"

"Yeah. Jareth offered me one before, I didn't take it."

"It's not like that, love. This one's different. With this, you keep your brother, your only remaining family, and you live forever! There is no downside to this. What have you to lose?" She repeated those words, trying to convince Sarah of the truth in them. She truly had nothing to lose.

Sarah considered what she was saying very carefully. She began to pace.

"I live forever, but you bore me. Choose now. Please, you can't make a mistake in coming to my realm. I so swear." Armina's eyes were fixed on Sarah as she paced. It was almost like a predator waiting for an opportunity to kill its prey.

"When would I get to see Toby?" asked Sarah. This was the most important answer to her.

The queen closed her eyes and seemed to be calculating something. She reopened her eyes and said, "The soonest would be approximately three days from now. But I could show you him in a crystal. You can't speak with him, though. Would that satisfy you until you could speak with him?"

"I suppose." Sarah took a calming breath and spoke the life-changing words, "I'll go with you."

~Toby~

As soon as he'd said the words he'd been plunged into black. When the black faded, a beautiful stone throne room spread before him. It was empty, yes, but no less impressive.

"Toby! It has been so long since I've seen you!" declared a voice from behind him.

Toby turned around and looked to see a man with long blond hair lounging on his throne. He wore a billowy off-white blouse and high gray pants. His mismatched eyes showed his happiness at seeing the boy again. He walked over and hugged the boy tightly.

"I'm Jareth, King of the Goblins. You are Toby, my heir apparent!"

"Am I?" asked Toby in disbelief. He'd just arrived, and he was a prince? This couldn't be true. Jareth released him from his embrace and went back to his throne.

"You are. Your sister took you from me, but now you can realize your true destiny. Fate willing, you will succeed me and be king of this marvelous realm."

"My sister said you were a jerk, and this place was a dump."

Looking hurt Jareth stood up and walked over to a window. He tugged open the curtain and beckoned Toby to look over the city. Where Sarah said there had been crumbling houses and broken fountains, there were beautiful stone houses and artfully crafted pools. A gray-black stone wall surrounded the city and happy little goblins went about their daily business.

"I can assure you that I, as well as my kingdom, have changed. I'm not who I used to be, Toby. Your sister changed me so completely that I've changed from a selfish, arrogant, hateful man into an adult."

"Okay, whatever. Can we go explore?" Toby didn't care about what his sister did to him; it was all mushy stuff anyway. He wanted to see his new world.

"Yes, of course, Prince Toby," said Jareth with a flourish of his hand, "Let's find you something less conspicuous to wear, though."

~Sarah~

Both Sarah and the queen arrived in what appeared to be her ornate palace. The whole place seemed to be made of white and gray marble with flecks of silver and gold. Beautiful young handmaidens immediately gathered around and insisted on providing for all of Sarah's needs.

After shooing away the handmaidens, the queen walked Sarah to her chambers. Apparently, it was fairly late here.

"Everything you could possibly need is in your chambers. There's an attached bathroom for your personal use." The queen opened the ebony black door and revealed a spacious room with a king-size four-poster bed. The room had a massive, 20-foot window adorned with gold curtains pulled back to let in the evening light. The walls were a subdued white-gray, but were covered in beautiful oil paintings depicting many different mythical creatures.

"Thanks, I'm sorry for the way I acted before. I was just too worried about Toby. Could I see him now, as you promised?"

"Yes, of course. I keep my word." She conjured a crystal and crushed it. Armina smirked at Sarah's surprise and blew on the dust. Before them appeared what looked like a giant TV screen. Immediately Sarah saw a contented Toby strolling through an odd city.

"Where is he? I don't recognize that place."

"Goblin City, of course! Don't you recognize it?"

"No…that doesn't look like Goblin City. It can't be. It was made of some crumbly red sandstone and all the buildings were lopsided. That's not Goblin City."

"It is. When you left, Jareth had an epiphany. He did that for you. He thought that the city repulsed you, in addition to his arrogance." Her argument was sound, but Sarah couldn't believe that Jareth really loved her. He was a jerk.

"The image will remain as long as you will it. I'm going to bed. Here," she said and handed her a crystal ball, "this is the portable version of this image. Ask about anyone, and you can see what they are doing. Good night." The queen left the room and closed the door behind her.

Sarah only watched the big screen for a couple more minutes to make sure Toby was happy. She opened up the closet and found a linen nightgown. She found her way into the luxurious bathroom. The walls were tiled with mosaics depicting the queen with Latin words floating above her powerful form. "Armina, _Magna Regina Bestiarum_. I wonder what that means," she wondered out loud.

She stripped off her work clothes and slipped into the wading pool-sized bathtub that seemed to have filled as soon as she entered the room. She sighed and enjoyed the warmth of the pool. All of the stress she had experienced seemed to melt away for awhile.

After 15 minutes, she quit studying the mosaic on the ceiling and reached for the crystal given to her by the queen. "Show me Jareth, please." She wasn't sure what she was doing, but before she could decide against it, the handsome face of the Goblin King appeared in the crystal.

He was laughing, a sight that reminded her of her experience 12 years ago. Despite the time passed, he didn't look a day over 30. His eyes were still mismatched, his clothing was still a steam punk's dream, and, though she wished he wasn't, he was undeniably the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.

He wasn't just handsome. His face was timeless, like an angel's. He would never cease to amaze her with his looks. No matter how much of a jerk he was, she knew that she couldn't avoid his draw forever. She would face him when she saw Toby, and she would do her best to not be drawn in by his charm.

She sunk lower into the pool and was just thinking about how perfect a glass of merlot would be when a bottle and delicate crystal glass appeared next to her.

"Well, she did say that it had everything I could possibly need." She poured herself a glass and downed it in one gulp. She stood and climbed out of the pool. She wrapped herself in a soft towel and combed through her wild hair. As she got dressed, she took time to sip her drink.

"Here's to you, Jareth. Maybe you won't be such an ass this time." She took a sip and left the bathroom to find her bed was turned down and awaited her arrival.

Her eyes suddenly got heavy and she climbed into bed gladly. With the luxurious linens surrounding her, she fell into a contented sleep.


	5. The First Dream

~Sarah~

That night she dreamed of Jareth. He was handsome as ever, and he was dancing with her. His eyes bored into hers and they entranced her. He smelled like super-sweet honeysuckle and something distinctly male. He was singing the same song he had before, but it had more emotion in it. She really believed that he loved her.

The hall was just like her prior dance with the Goblin King. It was adorned in white and silver. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, offering fantastic mood lighting.

He took their outstretched hands and held them over his heart. She could feel his heartbeat was just like hers—a hammering threatening to burst from her chest. He held her hand there for awhile, and she didn't resist. Actually, she kind of liked it.

There were no others around them, and she felt just fine about it. It was just her and the man that was reputed to love her, no one else. She was so entranced that she would have done anything for him in that time. Nothing would make her happier than she was at that very moment. Well, except for one thing.

He bowed his head close to hers and hesitated, letting their breath mingle and giving her a chance to pull away. She didn't pull away, but leaned closer.

Just as their lips met, she awoke.

~Jareth~

Jareth was jolted awake by an unknown force. His chest heaved as he sat up in his bed and tried to calm himself. He threw off his fur blanket and sat up on the edge of his bed.

By the gods, he'd kissed her! His dream was almost perfect. The dream was so strange, but then again, he never dreamed. He slept without any interruptions in that form.

He didn't mind this dream though. It was his fantasy. She'd accepted his kiss, something that he'd longed for ever since she had left him. She'd felt so real in the dream. There was no apprehension in her actions, she trusted him completely. If only it had been real!

Warm tears managed to make their way down his face, though he wasn't sure why. He hadn't cried in years. He knew she would return one day, and that was enough. But this dream brought him so close to achieving what he had been doing everything for—her love.

She would be his. He would possess her, and he would still be her slave. In an odd way, the paradox made sense. She would be his queen, but he would serve her without question.

He walked out onto his balcony overlooking the city, and let out an agonized roar of pain.

~Sarah~

The dream had been so real. His arms were around her in a sure embrace; he'd kissed her. More worryingly, enjoyed it. He, the one that had taken her brother and forced her to run the Labyrinth had almost seduced her, again.

This just wouldn't work. He was a self-absorbed jerk that probably only wanted to be rid of her as soon as he was done with her. She was just more difficult than his other mistresses, she figured.

She lay back down against the soft pillows and tried to calm her panicked mind. She knew it was a dream, but, deep down, she wanted it to be real. She wanted him to kiss her. She so wanted to dance with him and hold her hands. No matter what her rational mind said, she would want him, and she would just have to fight it.


	6. Meeting the Trolls

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Labyrinth or any genius creation of Jim Henson. I do, however, wish that I had his kind of imagination!

~Sarah~

Sometime in the early morning she'd managed to fall back to sleep. Thankfully, she hadn't dreamt of Jareth again. She couldn't handle something like that twice in one night.

She climbed out of bed to find a pair of black fur slippers at the edge of her bed. Lying at the foot of the bed was an ensemble that reminded her of what Jareth wore the last time she was in the Underground.

The top was a loose-fitting white cotton blouse with a black leather vest. The pants were khakis with thigh-high, black riding boots with a slight heel. A simple black cape was next to the ensemble and was obviously meant to be worn outside to defend from a chill.

She put on the outfit and admired herself in the floor-length mirror in her room. She didn't like to admit it, but the Underground had a great sense of style.

She opened the door into the hallway and walked out, not paying attention, and ran into an official-looking man. She almost face-planted, but his strong arms caught her before she hit the ground.

He helped her stand up and gave her a concerned look. In a deep tenor voice he asked, "Are you all right? I wasn't paying attention."

Sarah was embarrassed, and almost positive that she'd made a complete fool out of herself. Heat rushed to her face and she stumbled again. Against her better judgment, she looked up at him and saw that he was very handsome.

His kind teal eyes showed real concern and his hands still held her forearms, making sure she didn't fall over. His face was outlined with a well-defined jaw, covered in a well-trimmed beard. His skin had a slight tan and complemented his jet-black hair very nicely. He had a cerulean-blue overcoat on with a stunningly white blouse and black pants.

"I…uh, I'm sorry. I just kind of walked without looking. My bad. You can let go of my arms now, I think I'll stand okay." He obliged and dropped his hands from her arms. "I'm Sarah, by the way."

"Are you sure you're okay? I can take you to the infirmary, if needed," he said with genuine concern. She shook her head and he spoke again, "I'm Rūbrind, Armina's husband."

"Oh, I'm sorry…King Rūbrind?" she said questioning her correctness.

"Yes," he said with a glaringly white smile, "but I'm just Rūbrind to my friends. We could be friends, yes? I think so."

His accent bordered on Russian, but he was easily understandable, and she wasn't all that good at deciphering accents.

"I was just heading to see my wife in the throne room, would you accompany me? I think she wanted to speak with you this morning." He offered his arm and she took it.

"So, are you king, or are you some sort of 'prince consort' like in the Above?" she asked as they walked.

"Oh, I was a king regardless. I'm King of the Elves. No, not your strange little Chreesmas elves. The real kind." She stifled a giggle at his strange pronunciation of 'Christmas'.

"What do you mean 'the real kind'? I don't get it."

"Well, I'm a good example. We're like you humans, only immortal."

"I see."

"I can't blame you. All of the humans that write about us add a bit of an artistic flourish to our stories. Especially those damned Grimm Brothers. As far as I know, that book that brought you here is the only true story."

"Yeah, I never really thought about that. That's a shame; you guys are really cool people."

"Thank you."

They walked into an open chamber made of the same milky-white marble with columns on either side of a red carpet that led to two intricately-made thrones. But something else seemed to draw everyone's attention.

Shouting erupted from one of the double doors leading out of the chamber. A huge, muscular man with evil red eyes burst through the doors. He had striking good looks, but they were marred by his look of anger. His hair was long and silver-blond and it was tied back with a leather thong.

He shouted, "My king won't like this, Armina. He's lived under you long enough!"

"How dare you call me by my given name? You will call me Queen, or you will be imprisoned without a second thought! You have nothing to offer me in return for the supplies I offer, Gaston!" A flash of something feral briefly went through her eyes.

"My king won't be happy, Queen!" he shouted. Then his eyes caught her and Rūbrind standing off to the side. His voice softened, "Maybe I could marry your lovely young lady here, and I would get whatever I wanted. You'd never find anyone better than me!" The last comment was obviously aimed at Sarah, and she began to panic.

He walked over to them with purpose and Rūbrind pushed Sarah behind him protectively. Sarah gladly cowered behind him. Despite this, the one called Gaston continued his approach.

With great authority, Rūbrind threatened him, "Leave, Gaston! You have no place here. Leave or you will feel a true king's wrath!"

Gaston gave a pointed arrogant smirk at Sarah and stormed out, not bothering to bow to his monarchs.

"Are you all right, Sarah?" asked Armina as she approached the shocked young woman. Sarah looked down to see receding claws on the queen's hands. She looked up at her face and saw the feral look also leaving.

"Yeah, um, I'm fine, I guess." Gaston really scared her. Armina's reaction left her concerned. Maybe she didn't belong here after all.

~Jareth~

He hadn't slept since his dream about Sarah. He couldn't risk seeing her again, even if it was in a dream. A distraction was in order, and he would surely have plenty options.

He chuckled softly at the thought of what Toby might be doing today. _He'll probably spar with those pathetic little trainers of his!_ thought Jareth.

Jareth launched himself out of his bed and walked into his private bathing chambers. As expected, the water had filled the tub without prompting from him. He stripped off his loose cotton pants and slipped under the welcoming water.

With a great sigh he conjured a crystal. Should he summon her image? No, it would be too painful. Maybe later. He would see her soon enough.

In his frustration, he slid further down the back of the tub and became even more determined to claim what was his.


	7. A Good Thing to Know

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Labyrinth or any genius creation of Jim Henson. I do, however, wish that I had his kind of imagination!

~Sarah~

After Gaston's outburst, Armina and Rūbrind led Sarah to a small room with a table overflowing with delicious-looking food. They all reclined like Romans on chaises that were surprisingly comfortable. Sarah ate silently while Armina and Rūbrind talked politics and what Gaston's threats might mean.

Sarah finally asked, "So, what was that guy? He was kind of freaky-looking."

"Well, he's an ambassador from one of my provinces, the Troll Kingdom. He says so many things that never come to fruition. Don't worry about him, dear one." Armina said with a comforting tone.

"So trolls are basically huge human guys with bad tempers?" asked Sarah.

"No, he's ambassador here because he's better looking than his brethren, little more. Actually, many in the Troll Province desire him. Quite a Casanova there. Rest assured, he won't touch you."

"I wasn't worried about that, actually. I know you guys would do anything to keep me safe."

Rūbrind grunted his agreement as he took a drink of his coffee. Armina just smiled reassuringly.

"Hey, when Gaston was yelling, you kind of changed. You looked really pissed," remarked Sarah.

Armina sighed heavily and said, "I was. I've been meaning to kick his ass out for a while." Sarah choked on her bite of toast as she resisted the urge to laugh at the queen's use of such language.

"I see," Sarah allowed Armina to continue once she quit coughing.

"I am Queen of Beasts, as you know. Do you know why?" Armina inquired.

"No, not really."

"I am one of the most dangerous beasts you could ever encounter. What you saw today was a shadow of what I could be." A mischievous smile graced her lips.

"What do you mean?" asked Sarah. The queen's smile instantly left, and a solemn face took its place.

"I'm a shapeshifter. This is my normal form, yes, but I have many other forms."

"Why are you so dangerous, then? I think that would be pretty cool."

"You don't think me dangerous?"

"No," said Sarah, getting a little worried.

Armina stood away from the table and locked eyes with Sarah. Her form began to change into another familiar one. Her shape settled on one that she had most feared she'd choose.

From behind long blond bangs, two mismatched eyes caught hers. A gloved hand reached out and pointed at Sarah. The form of Jareth laughed.

"Oh Sarah, you know I'd never love you. You were just another tryst, though you were so much more difficult to seduce. You are a game I no longer wish to play, Sarah. I don't love you."

Despite her knowing that this wasn't the true Jareth, she couldn't help but feel tears welling up in her eyes.

The Jareth doppelganger approached Sarah and looked her in the eye. "You see, I'm dangerous. I know your weaknesses. I can become your worst fear and exploit it until you weep and give up whatever you had planned. Imagine the torture I could inflict. I'm rare, thank the gods, but I am dangerous. Lucky for you," the doppelganger said as it shifted into the form of Armina, "I'm not that cruel."

"Rūbrind is like you?"

"No, Sarah," said Rūbrind, answering for the queen, "I'm the elvish king. I have some limited shapeshifting power, but little more than that."

"That's…that's scary. I really thought you were Jareth."

"It's all an illusion, love. None of that is true, but you get my point."

"Yeah, thanks for explaining that," said Sarah softly, seriously contemplating whether she belonged or not.

~Sarah~

Once they had eaten breakfast, Armina had told Sarah about the extensive library in her possession. Armina had led her to the magnificent chamber, with three floors and thousands of books at her disposal. Luckily, the place was deserted and Sarah had a day to kill.

"Feel free to look at what you wish. You want to read more about the Labyrinth, yes? That section is over there," said Armina, gesturing at various sections as she continued her verbal tour.

"You know what, I'm just going to look around and see what I find."

"Fair enough, dear one. Should I have your midday meal brought to you?" asked the queen.

"Yeah, bring it later, I'm not going to be hungry for a while after that huge breakfast."

"Okay, I can assume you'll be here all day?"

"Yeah, I've got nothing better to do."

With a smile, Armina left Sarah alone with thousands upon thousands of old books.

Sarah started browsing the first floor and found most of its inhabitants were old reference books from the Aboveground. This struck her as odd, but maybe the king and queen liked to research what they were missing.

The day was spent looking for books that would tell her about Armina. She was mysterious, and obviously very powerful. Maybe she knew more than she'd let on about the trolls.

~Sarah~

After the sun had gone down, Sarah caught herself dozing in her chosen chair in the library. She stretched and decided to call it a day.

She held onto the book she'd found about mythical beasts, including trolls, and made her way to her chambers.

Sarah took a quick bath and slipped into her freshly-made bed. Without delay, she fell into a deep sleep.


	8. The Second Dream

~Jareth~

The day with Toby was largely uneventful. Toby had simply run about the Escher Room and chased a couple helpless goblins.

Jareth slid his poet's shirt over his head and tugged off his boots, leaving them in a heap on the floor. The cleaning goblins would take care of them later.

He ran his hands through his hair, trying to not think of what Sarah might be doing. He failed miserably and decided that he'd rather dream of her. He crawled into his oversized four-poster bed and pulled the furs he used as blankets up around his waist. With thoughts of Sarah swirling in his mind, he slipped into the welcoming arms of sleep.

~Sarah~

Her dream was different tonight. She and Jareth were standing on a balcony overlooking the Goblin City. His arm was lovingly placed around her waist and she was pulled snugly against him.

Without prompting or hesitation, Jareth cupped her face in his hands and claimed her mouth in a ferocious kiss. The scent of him, the same sickly-sweet honeysuckle, drove her wild. Oddly enough, she didn't pull away from this kiss either. She rather enjoyed the thought of kissing the Goblin King. _No_, she mentally corrected, _he was _her_ Goblin King._

He made no move to deepen the kiss, but he opened his mouth to allow her to explore at her leisure. Jareth reached behind her and pulled her closer, with a moan his hands reached up and tangled in her hair, desperately trying to get her closer.

He pulled away briefly to whisper against her lips, "I love you."

To her surprise, Sarah responded instantly with, "And I adore you."

With a growl, he crushed his lips to hers. She could have stayed like that forever; kissing the man that she knew was hers. She was perfectly content to continue to kiss him, even if it meant forgetting about her past life.

And with that, the dream faded into black, the feeling of his lips lingering on hers.


	9. Preparing for the Masque

~Sarah~

Sarah woke the next morning well-rested. Despite her undeniably enjoyable dream, she'd slept like a baby. Finding a new outfit at the end of her bed, Sarah gladly donned the best clothing the Underground could offer.

Making sure no one was in her way, she made her way out of her room towards the breakfast nook where she had previously dined with the monarchs. She found the room with little difficulty and found Armina dining alone while reading an Aboveground newspaper.

"Hello, dear one," said Armina without looking up. She was definitely a mother.

"Uh, hey." Sarah reclined on the chaise directly across from the queen and began to nibble on some toast with a heavenly peach jam.

"What are your plans for the day?" asked Armina as she folded the newspaper.

"Well, I was wondering if I could go out on the town. You know, maybe see the local shops and restaurants and stuff."

The queen sat up a little in her chaise as she thought. "I suppose. My capital city is always safe to those welcomed here. Go ahead. You'll be safe, yes? I would suggest remaining cautious, regardless."

Relieved Sarah said, "Yeah, of course. I'll stay out of alleys and dark places. Thanks."

"Oh, before you go," the queen rummaged around in the pockets of her vest and handed Sarah a small bag with a drawstring, "take this with you. I'm sure you can't spend this much in one day, right?"

The bag was full of glittering gold coins. Sarah shook her head and saw the queen give her a kind smile.

"Thanks," replied Sarah.

With that, Sarah left the queen to her newspaper and made her way out into the city beyond the palace.

Her whole day was spent looking through the small shops situated around the palace. Gems, clothing, and other specialty wares were displayed proudly by their owners. None of them seemed to pick up on her Aboveground accent or her lack of knowledge.

When she returned to the palace before sundown, she found the queen in her throne room being presented with several strikingly beautiful gowns.

"Ah, Sarah, you've returned. Come and help me pick a dress!" called Armina.

Sarah walked over and eyed the gowns, finding them all to be perfect for the Queen of Beasts.

"I think this silver one would clash with your eyes too much."

"Well, that's not a problem, I'm not wearing it. I've already got my outfit. You don't have one yet."

"These are for me? For what occasion?"

"For one, they are for you. Second, there is a masquerade tomorrow evening and you've got an invitation, courtesy of yours truly." Armina flashed a dazzling smile.

"Where is it?" inquired Sarah.

"Here, of course! I host these parties for many occasions. This would be in celebration of a fine harvest this year. You will come, and you will be dressed as your position in society dictates: a beautiful princess."

"I'm no princess, and I really don't want to go."

"Too bad, dear one. You have to get out and meet those that your brother will be dealing with eventually. You don't want him to deal with them on his own, right?" Armina raised a questioning eyebrow and awaited Sarah's obvious answer.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll go, I suppose."

Armina turned her gaze back to the gowns. "I like this one," she said, indicating a silver number with crystals and beading on the bodice. It had a little body to it, but it was nothing compared to the hideous thing she'd been in when Jareth had first tried to seduce her.

"I like it, too," Sarah paused, "could you send dinner to my room? I'm going to read some of the books I started yesterday."

The queen dismissed the servants holding the dresses and stood from her chaise. "Are you okay, Sarah?" She placed her hand on Sarah's forehead and made a face.

"I'm fine. I kind of ran back here so I wouldn't get in trouble for being out late."

"Okay, then. I'll have dinner sent to you, dear one. Good night."

Sarah left and found a tray filled with some sort of fish and warm rotisserie chicken. After eating, she took a quick bath and settled into her bed, preparing for what she might see that night in her dreams.

~Sarah~

To her surprise, Sarah had slept dreamlessly. There was no fairytale fantasy with her king. To be honest, she was relieved. The dreams seemed to lead up to each other, getting more romantic as they went. She couldn't imagine what might have happened if he appeared in a dream again.

Like the days prior, a nice ensemble was laid out at the foot of her bed. Today it was a poet's shirt with a lovely teal vest, paired with black slacks. Most surprisingly, no boots were laid out. Instead, some simple white tennis shoes sat on the ground.

She pulled on the shirt and pants and found that the sneakers fit her perfectly. Armina obviously wanted to give her some comforts from Aboveground.

Making her way to the little breakfast nook, she saw many servants working on the ballroom that would host the masquerade. It wasn't much yet, but she was sure it would look amazing when it was finished.

Sarah found Armina with an Aboveground newspaper again. She would have to ask her about that later. She noticed that Rūbrind had returned as well and was reclining on his chaise while reading an aged book.

"Hi, guys," said Sarah, garnering bright smiles from both. _They must be morning people,_ thought Sarah.

Sarah continued as she sat down to eat, "What am I doing today?"

Without looking up from her newspaper, the queen replied, "You're staying here and helping me dress up. I lied to you when I said that I had something. I'll need some help picking out outfits and you seem to have so much more of a sense of style than I do." Armina gestured to her usual silver, jewel-encrusted vest with black pants over a lovely blouse.

"I like what you have on. Throw on a fancy cape or something and you'd look amazing," said Rūbrind from across the table. Armina turned to glare at him and he gave her a mischievous smile, which earned him a slap on the back of his head.

Sarah sat awkwardly eating her toast as the king and queen playfully quarreled over what exactly was considered formal enough for a masquerade.

Finally, after about five minutes, Rūbrind relented. He stood and kissed Armina's forehead and smiled to Sarah, "Make sure you put her in something dazzling, Sarah. She deserves nothing less."

The rest of Sarah's day was spent looking through the queen's endless closets, finally deciding on something that seemed to belong at a military review rather than a masquerade.

The ensemble consisted of a white blouse tucked into black pants. Her knee-high boots were freshly polished to a mirror shine. Over her white top went a silver jacket and a white fur cape went over that. The cape was held on her shoulders by a pretty platinum chain. Her hair, as usual, fell perfectly around her shoulders with the perfect amount of volume.

When Sarah asked to leave and get ready herself, Armina gave her a dismissive gesture and called in a couple of young handmaidens who put Sarah in her gown. Her hair was styled eerily similar to the night Jareth had tried to seduce her in the labyrinth.

A knock was heard at the door and Rūbrind poked his head in. "I've heard I must escort the both of you." When Rūbrind caught sight of his wife, Sarah saw the look of pure adoration he gave. He walked over to the queen and took her hand. He raised it to his lips and kissed her knuckles. He turned and offered her his left arm, and offered Sarah his right. Rūbrind smiled broadly as he led both of them into the grand ballroom.


	10. The Masquerade

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Labyrinth or any genius creation of Jim Henson. I do, however, wish that I had his kind of imagination!

~Sarah~

The masquerade was similar to the one where Jareth had tried to seduce her before, almost sickeningly so. There were already people dancing and laughing. Unlike the one before, the masks worn were all beautiful. They were covered in iridescent feathers and precious stones.

The hall was covered in white linens and beautiful chandeliers. In addition to the chandeliers, torches burned in niches in the walls, casting even more shadows. A small ensemble made of many old-world instruments mixed with new ones was playing a waltz-like tune.

"Go on, Sarah. We won't be far. Dance, have a good time, dear one," Armina said softly.

"Yes, we can leave whenever you wish, Sarah," said Rūbrind reassuringly.

"Okay, sounds good," replied Sarah, still nervous about the thought of seeing Jareth.

She skirted the border of the dance floor, dodging anyone there by himself. There weren't any wallflowers that she could see anyway, so she'd be okay for now. Walking over to a servant with a tray of wine, she observed the seemingly mundane dance that took place on the dance floor. No one was showing off, but they were all dancing to the intoxicating beat of the music.

Picking out a glass of wine, she spotted someone approaching her. She downed the entirety of her drink in one gulp, trying to loosen up her inhibitions.

"Might I have this dance?" asked the gentleman who had approached her.

He was only a couple inches taller than she was and wore a sparkly cerulean overcoat. His mask matched perfectly with the coat and seemed to have its own aura.

The wine was working its magic, and she spoke with complete confidence, "I would love to."

He offered her his hand and she took it. Leading them onto the dance floor, he placed his hand on her hip and she placed hers on his shoulder. He made no move to get any closer, unlike many other men might have done, but he kept his distance.

The song was a slow waltz and she didn't know what she was doing. Luckily, he seemed to realize this and he kept the steps simple with nothing fancy. They simply swayed to the music.

When the song ended, neither of them made a move to separate.

"Might my lady indulge me one more?" he asked with complete sincerity.

"Yeah, I'd like that."

When the band began playing again, he took her hand in his and they began to make their way around the outskirts of the dance floor. The tune was familiar, but Sarah just couldn't put her finger on it. Maybe it was some tune from Aboveground. It didn't matter; the dance was amazing regardless.

Suddenly, their joined hands were brought to the center of his chest, and she could feel his heartbeat. She heard him begin to hum the melody playing, obviously knowing the tune.

He pulled her closer and tilted his head. He let his warm breath tickle her neck as he whispered, "Let's make our dream reality." He leaned in for a kiss, expecting her to accept it.

Utterly shocked, Sarah withdrew from his embrace. "Jareth?" she asked.

"Yes, precious, it's me," he said smoothly as he removed his mask.

"What do you want?" she asked a little above a whisper. Some surrounding fae eyed them briefly before continuing their conversations.

"Come, talk with me. Please, indulge me this one moment. I'll even show you your brother. Just, please, come with me elsewhere so we can talk without drawing attention. I beg you."

Suspicious, but still wanting to see her brother, Sarah obliged and followed Jareth into a side room.

"I repeat, what do you want?" demanded Sarah once they had shut the door.

"I want to speak with you about," he paused and closed the space between them, "us."

Sarah's rebuff was quick and full of anger, "I want nothing to do with you! You've tried to seduce me, I know it. I was thirteen! You were what, thirty? No, I can't imagine being involved with you."

"Please, Sarah, hear me out!" he cried.

"Will it get Toby here faster?"

"Yes."

"Fine, talk. Whatever."

Jareth took a deep breath and began to pour his heart out. "Sarah, ten years ago you left my labyrinth victorious. When you left my realm, I wept. I questioned my sanity. By the gods, why would I weep for a girl that I had known for less than thirteen hours? Why?"

Sarah studied his face, trying to see some indication of lying.

Jareth continued, "The answer was simple, my Sarah. You are my soulmate. My soul had met its match, and then it was snatched away when you left me. My soul wept, and so I did. I tried to find someone else. I tried to distract myself, fall in love maybe, just so I wouldn't hurt anymore. My point is that I know your soul calls for mine. I know it."

"How do you know that?" Sarah asked skeptically.

"I know because my mother told me. You've met her. She's wise in the ways of the heart, precious Sarah. As she would put it, she 'knows everything important.' That's how she feels about Rūbrind, that's how he feels for her. They're soulmates, and so are we!"

"I'll believe in your mother's wisdom, but soulmates? What are you on, Jareth?" Sarah was panicking. _What if he's telling the truth?_ Sarah thought.

As if to answer her thoughts he said, "I'm telling the truth. Now, tell me that your soul didn't call for me. Tell me that you don't think or dream of me every waking moment. I know that I think and dream of you. Please, tell me the truth."

Sarah breathed deeply and said, "I do dream of you. I do think of you."

Jareth gave her an exultant smile. He advanced to embrace her, but she backed away.

"But," she continued, "I can't imagine being stuck with you." His smile faded and his face was solemn once more.

"Listen, precious! I know you would be lying if you said your soul didn't want me. I, too, would be lying if I said that. I've told you this. Perhaps, if you accept this fact, we can at least be civil. After all, your brother is living with me."

Sarah's heart ached for him. Maybe she could just be his, and that would end it. Her brother was with him anyway. "If I said that I love you, I would let you win. I can't do that. You have no power over me."

"It's not about winning!" said Jareth fiercely. He strode over and grasped her shoulders. He continued, "It's not about who has power over whom. It's about love. When has it ever been about winning?"

"Ten years ago it was about winning. You would have turned Toby into a goblin."

"Not so, precious. I would have returned him home if you had just given into your desires and loved me. It never had to be the way you think it would have been. We could have just been friends until you realized it for what it was and remains. I love you and you love me."

She didn't back away from his touch. His loose grip on her shoulders wasn't threatening. He was pleading with her. She looked up into his mismatched eyes that oozed sincerity and heartbreak.

He was telling the truth. She didn't want to admit it, but she was attracted to him. More than that, she may have been in love with him. No, not may have, she did love him. And she knew that he loved her, too. His words sent a fire through her veins the likes of which she never felt before. Her soul was telling her something: he was hers.

_Dear one, he was made to love you,_ a voice whispered through her mind. _No one will ever love you the way he does. _

Despite the voice and her body's reaction, she was still skeptical of his sincerity. "I wouldn't go that far, Jareth."

This struck him like a slap in the face. His face was downcast and he appeared to be in deep thought as he released her shoulders and began to pace. A broad smile made its way across his face. "Perhaps you don't love me yet, but we could be friends, right? Your brother remains in my care, so we must at least be civil. There's still time, precious. At least act like you don't mind me, and I will let you see your brother without conflict."

His offer was surprisingly fair for both of them. She considered for a moment then replied, "Sounds fair, but don't give me any of this 'you're my soulmate so I can kiss you' bullcrap. It's not gonna fly with me."

"Is that a yes?" he asked with an arched brow.

"Yeah, now show me Toby." She was growing impatient and was sure that she was being missed out in the party scene.

Jareth summoned a crystal and threw it at his feet. He shouted, "Toby, come here!"

In a flash of glitter, Toby stood before Sarah, a spitting image of Jareth in a poet's shirt and leather vest. His honey-blond hair was unruly, but not near the controlled chaos of Jareth's.

She ran over and hugged Toby tightly and spoke like a mother. "Toby, are you okay? Really, he can't hurt you or anything; he has no power over you."

"Sarah, I'm a prince! I'm royalty and I get treated great by all the little goblins. I've finally got friends, sis! Real friends!"

Toby's reaction surprised her and she looked to find Jareth with his signature smirk watching their little reunion. He looked over to her and locked gazes. He gave her an 'I told you so' look before turning to Toby and saying, "I think it's time for bed, kid. You've got a big day of training tomorrow."

"Yeah, sorry Sarah, I've gotta go. I'll see you soon, okay?" Toby's abrupt leaving was suspicious to Sarah, but there was no stopping him. He was just as bullheaded as she was.

Jareth threw a crystal orb at Toby's feet and Toby disappeared in another shower of glitter. Jareth closed the space between them and took Sarah's hand. He bowed and kissed her knuckles before disappearing in his own shower of glitter.

Sarah left then, and didn't even bother returning to the masque. She was too exhausted by Jareth's confrontation, and she didn't really want to dance with anyone else.

She collapsed into bed still wearing her dress and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	11. The Queen's Reaction

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Labyrinth or any genius creation of Jim Henson. I do, however, wish that I had his kind of imagination!

~Armina~

The masquerade was utterly boring, as these things go. That was, before the scent of magick hit her. The particular scent was unique, almost like honeysuckle.

Her eyes widened at the thought. A smile made its way across her features. Jareth had come, and then left the dance floor very suddenly, less than the time it took to play two songs.

Of course, she planned the whole song bit. She could see into his heart and had told the band to play his song. Her scheming meant nothing, though. Even if she had done the same thing, but Sarah didn't love him, it would have done nothing, which it hadn't.

As she'd told Jareth years ago, she knew everything important. Her only son's curse was very important. He need only find love, and he would take his true form, the form that she had seen him as. The form she'd seen him as when she fell in love with him.

Of course, he didn't know that. He assumed he would be turned into a handsome young fae again, but the curse never specified. _What did the humans call it again_? She pondered. _Was it trolling?_

Whatever the case, Armina knew that it was a matter of time before Sarah gave in and fell in love with him. Her soul was calling to him, and it would soon become undeniable.

An evil grin spread across her face at the thought of her scheming. _Ah, what the hell. I can be a bitch when it is convenient._ She told herself mentally. _This is very convenient, indeed._

Her grin soon faded when she saw Sarah storm back to her room. She sat up straighter in her throne and saw Sarah's face covered with tears. _Had he hurt her?_ She thought.

She got up from her seat and retreated into her deserted crystal room. In the center of the small dome, sat her greatest crystal, powerful enough to see even the dead, even though she didn't need it for that specific purpose. "Show me the girl," she growled and the crystal obliged.

Sarah's image flickered in the globe and revealed an upset aura. She hadn't been hurt, thank the gods, but she was shaken. _Jareth must have shown her Toby_, she thought.

Relieved that he hadn't screwed anything up, she went back to the masque, where Rūbrind still sat enjoying conversation.

~Sarah~

Jareth had obviously changed, but not in the way she thought. He seemed to have become less of an ass, but he was now an annoying, lovesick puppy. Yeah, he had Toby and Toby was happy, but Jareth insisted that she loved him. In an odd way, she kind of did. Really, he had brought Toby the happiness that he deserved.

_What the hell is wrong with me?_ Sarah asked herself. Deep down, she had desired the king. At one point, she really wished he would ravage her, but not now. She was an adult, and she was only here for Toby, not Jareth.

She climbed out of her bed and grabbed the clothes laid out for her. She walked into the bathroom and stripped off her dress. She stepped into the welcoming water and sat there for a good half hour. Deciding it was best to just face the world, she got out and dressed in her usual outfit. She opened her door and faced the world.

~Armina~

She had called Jareth to the city for a meeting about the trolls. To be honest, she really just wanted to see him. It had been nearly ten years since she'd seen him. It was when she'd granted him the boon that guaranteed Sarah would return. It wasn't on purpose that she'd forgotten about him, but she was a busy woman.

He came into the throne room dressed in his everyday attire, which surprised her. He always used to dress up for such things. _Have I missed that much?_ She thought.

Courtiers, handmaidens, and others gathered in the throne room, as was customary. She didn't mind them being there, but they could be annoying when they wished.

He entered and gave a low bow. His trademark smirk graced his face and she couldn't help but return a smile as well. "My son, you've returned to me."

"You called; I came," he responded as he strode over to give her a hug.

"Oh, how I've missed my only son. Do you know why I called you here?" she asked as she released him from her embrace.

Racking his brain, he couldn't think of one reason except, "Sarah," he responded.

"I smelled your magick here last evening. Did you visit, my son?" she asked as she went back to recline in her throne.

"Yes. Mother, you always know what's important."

"That, I do," she said and gave him an indulgent smile.

"Is she still here?" he said as he looked around. "Yes, but she may not be up for a while yet."

He nodded and made himself comfortable on the steps that led up to her throne. "I'll wait, then."

While they waited, several other monarchs arrived and waited for the war meeting to start. If the trolls were going to attack, they wanted to be prepared.


	12. The Trolls Return

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Labyrinth or any genius creation of Jim Henson. I do, however, wish that I had his kind of imagination!

~Sarah~

As soon as Sarah had left her chamber, she met Rūbrind in the hallway.

"Dear, we have both been called to the throne room. I would love it if you would accompany me."

She couldn't help but smile; he was one of the most polite men she'd ever met. "I would love to," she replied and took his arm.

They walked into the throne room and Sarah immediately gulped at the sight of Jareth and the other monarchs of the Underground's provinces.

"Ah, Sarah, you've come to join us!" Armina's voice rang out in the throne room. "Alright, everyone out." She made a dismissive gesture to the courtiers and non-essential members in the room. She beckoned Sarah to her and conjured a lovely chair for her, right next to her throne.

As Sarah ascended the stairs to the thrones, the monarchs respectfully bowed. She nodded her head slightly at each of them, thinking bowing was a bit much. She sat gracefully and Rūbrind sat on the other side of Armina.

The meeting began with a bunch of words in a language she didn't understand. _Is it Latin?_ Sarah thought. She spaced out, trying not to think of Jareth, despite the fact that he was staring intently at her.

Every once in a while Jareth would speak, but it was only brief, and it was in that other language. Even speaking in a different language his voice sent chills down her spine. Her internal voice that spoke to her the night before returned.

_He was made to love you, dear one. Answer your soul's call._

The voice spoke the truth. In an odd way, she did want him, no matter what her mind told her to do. She wasn't sure who the voice was, but she had a sneaking suspicion that it was her soul. _Was this what Jareth was talking about? Is my soul crying for him?_ She pondered.

After an hour, the talking was still going on when a deafening crash shook the palace. One of the walls of the throne room was completely annihilated and trolls came rushing in.

Armina stood and called with magickal amplification, "Warriors, come to me!"

In an instant, soldiers began trickling into the room with swords raised. Armina broke the chain holding her cape on and launched herself into the air. Mid-jump, she transformed into a humanoid beast with massive canines. She landed on one of the trolls and ripped its throat out with her teeth. The troll slipped and fell in the growing pool of blood below him. She jumped off the troll's back and Rūbrind dispatched it with a clean slice of his saber.

As Armina landed, she transformed back into her human form to yell, "Jareth, get Sarah out of here! Protect her, my son!" She turned back into the beast and tackled another troll, beginning the process again.

Jareth grabbed her hand roughly and pulled her into one of the side hallways.

"Sarah, just follow me, okay? I know this place like the back of my hand." He continued to drag her down hallways and up stairways until a loud crash sounded just behind them.

She glanced back to find Gaston on their heels. "Jareth!" she screamed as he threw her behind his body.

"I know, precious. Keep going, I'll catch up." Jareth stood defiantly and stole a sword from one of the suits of armor nearest to him.

Gaston was better prepared. He held a wicked-looking , two-pronged spear and a heavy shield.

"The girl is mine, Goblin King. She's all mine!" he roared and charged at Jareth.

Meanwhile, Sarah had reached the roof and was stuck on a balcony, hearing the sounds of the struggle downstairs.

Jareth and Gaston struggled for supremacy as they slowly climbed the stairs.

On one of Jareth's charges, he managed to slice Gaston's shoulder, just missing his neck. Cursing under his breath, he continued backing up the stairs. Jareth's sword clashed violently with Gaston's and flew from his hands.

Gaston's shoulder poured blood as he pursued Jareth. They got onto an adjoining balcony and Gaston dealt a deadly blow to Jareth's stomach. He ran the spear straight into his abdomen and twisted, garnering a pained scream from Jareth. Jareth lost his footing and fell backwards, catapulting Gaston, who still held tightly to the spear, over the railing and down to the street, nearly five stories below.

Sarah, who was crying by now, ran over to Jareth and held his head in her arms.

He coughed blood and his eyes were half closed. He slowly raised his hand and cradled her face. His face was covered in blood, and his hair was matted. His voice was a whisper as he spoke to her, "S-sarah, I've always loved you," he paused to cough more crimson blood all over her, "know that."

His condition was dire, Sarah knew. He wouldn't make it another five minutes.

"When I saw you…my world changed. You are my…my world," he gasped.

Tears freely ran down Sarah's face as he lay dying. His blood pooled around him and stained her pants and shirt.

"I…I'm dying happy, knowing that you…you're safe now," he coughed, "I only wish…that we had more…time together, and that…maybe you would have…loved me." His hand dropped and his eyes glazed over, still staring intently into hers.

She gave a heart-wrenching sob as his heartbeat and breathing ceased. He lay there, limp in her arms, his blood covering the both of them.

A cold rain began to fall as more tears fell from the corners of her eyes.

He died thinking she didn't love him. He saved her life, and thought that she hated him. With his death, it only solidified her love for him, and now he was gone forever. He would never know the love her soul held for him.

She closed his staring eyes and leaned down. She brushed her lips over his and her tears mingled with the blood on her face. She released another ragged sob and stood to return to the inside of the castle.


	13. The Curse

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth or the characters in it.

You don't think I could kill off such a fantastic-looking man, right? Seriously? I could never kill Jareth. I could, but I'm not that much of a witch.

~Sarah~

Sarah stopped at the doorway when a blinding flash caught her attention behind her. She turned to find Jareth's lifeless body being raised up off of the balcony. A column of light bathed him in a golden aura.

Before her eyes, his wounds were healed and the blood on his abdomen disappeared. He gasped and choked for air like he had been drowning. His eyes snapped open and found her eyes.

The light receded and placed him on his feet. He assessed his hands and where his wounds had been, finding them completely normal, and his nails were still claw-like, as if he cared then. He turned his face to her and strode over.

His heart ached at the sight of her covered in his blood and crying. He wrapped her in his arms, pressed her head to his chest, and kissed the top of her head, murmuring words of love and affection. He couldn't help but cry with her, knowing that he might have never seen her again.

He spoke like a man that had just witnessed a miracle, "Sarah, you broke my curse."

She pulled her head from his chest and gave him a look of confusion.

He continued happily, "You love me; you broke my curse. This is my true form."

She responded with a sweet kiss to his lips and pressed her head back into his warm chest.

~Armina/ Rūbrind~

With the last invading troll dispatched, Armina walked over and kissed Rūbrind passionately, being that he'd saved her life several times in the brawl. They checked each other over and embraced briefly.

Then the power hit her. Rūbrind felt her body jerk and looked at her with confusion. Tears came to the normally-emotionless face of the queen. Rūbrind wiped away the tears with frantic, bloody fingers and asked, "Love, are you alright? Love!"

She smiled through the tears at her husband and whispered with joy, "His curse is broken."

A dawning realization came over Rūbrind's face at her words. Jareth's curse had broken? Impossible, but somehow, she must have fallen for him, her rescuer.

Rūbrind smiled and claimed Armina's mouth in a sweet kiss. He whispered back, "So shall it be."


	14. The Wedding

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Labyrinth or any genius creation of Jim Henson. I do, however, wish that I had his kind of imagination!

~Sarah~

A fiery passion she had never experienced kindled itself inside her very soul. She couldn't explain it, but she knew that she needed him to be complete. She couldn't exist like she had for the last ten years. She was tied to him, and she knew it. She would take him up on his offer and he would be hers.

Her body acted without permission and leaned further into his hard chest. Without thinking she tilted her face up to his and brushed her lips over his.

She knotted her hands in his immaculate hair and pulled his head closer to hers. She broke the kiss only to rid him of his crimson-stained jacket which she discarded on the stone balcony.

Then he broke the kiss and whispered against her lips, "Come home with me." Her answer was another kiss.

"Marry me," she responded as his lips moved to the outline of her jaw. He raised his head to meet her eyes and raised an eyebrow.

"What?" he asked in complete surprise.

"You heard me," she said as she caressed his cheek. His response was quick and very obvious. With a feral growl he claimed her mouth. He tangled his hands in her hair and pulled her close, as if being separated would kill him. The taste of him drove her senses wild.

"Do you have any idea how long I've waited for you to say that?" He backed away a little and gave her a chaste kiss.

"Come with me to the city. We will be married straight away. I've waited long enough for you." He reached up and caressed her face with his gloved hand. Then he pulled her close to him and said, "Hold tight." With that he conjured a crystal and threw it at their feet, immediately plunging them into darkness.

~Sarah~

They materialized in the deserted throne room where Jareth had kept Toby once upon a time. Jareth released her from him and lightly kissed her forehead. "Give me a moment, I think we must change." He gave her his signature smirk and continued, "Don't fret, precious. Tonight will be the best night of your existence and mine."

He stepped away and crushed a crystal in his hands. He blew the shards at her and a beautiful dress, eerily similar to the one from his original masquerade, replaced her bloody clothing. While she marveled at her dress, he changed with a snap of his gloved fingers.

Suddenly, Sarah felt Jareth's chest pressed into her back. His breath was hot on her neck as he asked her, "Now, where were we?"

Spinning around to wrap her arms around his neck, she replied, "I think we were getting married."

He gave her his enchanting smirk and nodded, pushing her away slightly. "The ceremony is simple, no witnesses required. It's all before the gods, no one else."

"Good," she said eagerly as he pulled out of her embrace.

He conjured a crystal and crushed it in his hands, revealing a grand diamond ring.

"As I recall, rings symbolize marriage Aboveground, correct?" he asked.

She nodded and eyed the ring. It had to be at least a carat, maybe more. A beautifully-cut emerald shone in the center surrounded by a small diamond on each side. It wasn't gaudy, but it was simply perfect to match her eyes.

He used his teeth to take his gloves off and discarded them onto the floor. He took her hands in his and recited the oath that he had learned from his adoptive mother, just like every other creature had learned from theirs. "I, Jareth, King of the Goblins and Prince of the entire Underground, do take you to be my wife this day. I promise to guard your life as though it were mine own. I give my oath to be faithful even should temptation rear its head, and I will love you until the stars fall down from the heavens and beyond. Should the earth shake and lightning roar, I will never leave your side. I give you my oath: love me, fear me, and I shall be your slave." He slid the ring onto her finger and gave her an adoring smile. His eyes never left hers and they seemed to stare into her soul.

The same voice that whispered earlier spoke again. _Repeat what he said, and he will be yours._

Without hesitation, she began to say the words that poured from her soul, "I, Sarah Williams, Champion of the Labyrinth, do take you to be my husband this day. I promise to guard your life as mine own. I give my oath to be faithful even should temptation rear its head, and I will love you until the stars fall down from the heavens and beyond. Should the earth shake and lightning roar, I will never leave your side. I give you my oath: love me, and I will be yours forever."

He took her right hand, and before she could react, he sliced it with a razor-sharp knife. He did the same to his own hand and pressed it to hers. Their blood mingled and her hand burned. It wasn't painful, but it was strange.

Then it hit her. A feeling of indescribable joy filled her heart. Their souls had been joined through blood and oath. They were bonded for life, and then some. The burn was replaced with waves of pleasure that rocked her whole body.

With his free hand, he lifted her chin and gave her a passionate kiss. He broke the kiss to whisper, "Come to bed with me, wife."

She didn't bother speaking; rather, she pressed herself against his chest and reclaimed his mouth with renewed vigor. He threw a conjured crystal at their feet and she opened her eyes to find them in his chambers.

In one corner, an ebony-wood four poster bed was covered with black sheets and furs. He caught her eyeing it and smirked. He kissed her with a ferocity that was unmatched, even from before.

Jareth led her to his bed and pushed her down onto the furs that covered it. "You're mine, Sarah. You've always been mine," he growled possessively as he claimed her.

That night, as Jareth worshipped her body, Sarah's dreams finally came true. The Goblin King, _her_ Goblin King, had claimed her as his own.


	15. Forever, and Then Some

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Labyrinth or any genius creation of Jim Henson. I do, however, wish that I had his kind of imagination!

~Sarah~

She woke as the sun began to peek through the cracks in the curtains of Jareth's chambers. Sarah had ended up lying across his bare chest and falling asleep while he stroked her brown mane. She didn't want to wake him, so she stayed put, happily laying with her head pillowed on his well-muscled chest.

As she drifted in and out of consciousness, she felt him stir. He sighed and looked down at her linen-clad form. His hands began running through her hair and she opened her eyes to meet his. His smirk played across his lips when their eyes met. He put free hand behind his head and looked up at the ceiling.

She thought about what had happened the night before and a bright scarlet spread across her cheeks. He reached down and lovingly caressed her face. He rolled onto his side and propped himself up on an elbow. She crawled up to brush her lips over his in a sweet kiss.

"I love you," he said with his voice just above a whisper.

"I love you, too."

She marveled at the man that was hers. He was her slave, and she knew it. He had been so gentle with her, bending to her every desire with the utmost eagerness. _I'll use that to my advantage again tonight_, she thought.

A mischievous grin spread across his face as he pulled her closer and whispered into her ear, "Don't expect much sleep, love. You took too long to get here."

Her face burned with another blush and she lightly smacked him across his chest. He grabbed her hand and held it to his heart, allowing her to feel his heartbeat. Like at the masque, he began to hum the tune of the song he had sung to her.

Before they fell victim to their desires once more, Jareth pulled her hand away and kissed her knuckles. He catapulted himself out of his oversized bed and conjured himself an outfit. He held his hand out for her to take and stood her in front of him. With a look of pure affection in his eyes, he hesitatingly conjured a pretty gold dress that complemented his black jacket very nicely.

He closed the distance between them in one stride and cupped her face in his hands, giving her a sweet kiss before offering her his arm to take. Looking confused she asked, "Where are we going?"

Jareth gave her an intoxicating smile and replied, "My mother surely knows what has happened. She won't be happy if kept waiting for much longer. Toby will stay here; he already knows, thanks to a couple nosy goblins that saw the battle in the city." At the look of disappointment on her face, he leaned in and whispered, "Do not fear, precious, we have all night." He gave her a knowing smile.

With a nod she took hold of his arm and he transported them into the capital city.

~Armina~

Of course, as soon as the blood bond was made, Armina knew what had happened. The only one that could have broken the spell was Sarah; she felt it in her bones. The magick in love was extremely potent, and near impossible to destroy.

The rush of power that came with the breaking of the curse surprised her with its force. She hadn't made a spell like that in a long time.

She was, nonetheless, satisfied that Jareth had put away his petty selfishness and embraced some sort of selflessness.

Her morning had started extremely early. She didn't sleep a wink after the rush of a battle; it just didn't work that way for her. Rūbrind, on the other hand, slept soundly.

Near the middle of the night, she dressed and went about repairing the damage done to the flooring in her throne room. The impact of troll feet had utterly destroyed the aged marble.

She collapsed into her throne near daybreak, satisfied that the stonemasons could manage the rest. She drifted into a fitful sleep.

With the bright morning sun shining through the stained-glass windows depicting the provinces of her kingdom, her husband sidled up beside her and pressed her hand to his lips. He walked around in front of her and knelt, looking into her sleep-filled eyes. He pressed a hand to her forehead and spoke, "Love, are you alright?"

"Just peachy, my dearest," she replied, and caressed his face until the worry left his features.

He drew himself up to full height and sat while handmaidens descended like hungry vultures, admiring their bravery and begging to have something useful to do.

A shower of glitter caught their shared attention and she made a dismissive gesture toward the handmaidens, shooing them away.

Jareth and Sarah appeared before her, holding hands. _My, my_, she thought, _they wasted no time, did they?_

Jareth strode forward with Sarah on his arm. He bowed low and gave his mother a smile, "Mother, I would like to present you my wife."

With a look of pure joy, she rose from her throne and walked forward. She held them both in a warm embrace. Rūbrind came up behind her and did the same. She gave her son a kiss on the cheek and said, "Well, it's about damn time!"

Sarah couldn't maintain her composure and lapsed into a fit of very un-queenlike giggles at Armina's response.

Rūbrind walked up to Jareth and shook his hand saying, "I told you that you would find her."

"Jareth, the whole attack was, I think, the Troll King's plot to begin a war. I have a feeling that a war is the last thing on your mind right now, but I figured you ought to know," said Armina with a knowing smile.

"I'm a bit too distracted to think of war right now, Mother."

With a graceful flourish of her hand, Armina said, "Let us break our fasts, then; we have much to talk about."

With grand smiles gracing all of their faces, they walked to breakfast, the first of many that they would have together.

~Author's Note~

Thanks for bearing with me, guys. Just be glad that I wasn't the wench I could have been and made the whole "scene" a dream. I thank especially Otherworldlywriter for his comments and I thank you all for reading my mad writings. All I ask is for a few reviews to make it worth my while. There should be a sequel, no?


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